My son is 2 and has horrible night terrors...please help!?

Question

My son is two and he has night terrors. He wakes up basically every single night screaming and you can not calm him down. He appears to be asleep the whole time he is crying and he only way to make him stop is to completely wake him up. And trust me waking him up is not the easiest thing. I was wondering if anyone had/have the same problem with your child and if you have any advice at all?! Any help much appreciated!

Answer 1

My two year old daughter has done this before but only two times. I can get her calmed down though just by picking her up and rocking her and telling her she is safe and it's okay.. just normal mom stuff. Are you sure he is having night terrors? Do you think he could be having a tummy ache? Or anything physical hurting him? Is it the same time every night? After he wakes up does he stop crying altogether? Does he go on to sleep after that and sleep the rest of the night? How long has this been going on? I think if it's been going on nightly for at least a couple weeks, I would at least call the doctor and see what she/he has to say. If it is bad dreams, I don't know what they can do about those, but anything it sounds like at this point would help you. Maybe if when you put him to bed pray that angels would surround him and God's love would protect him. I feel for him and you.. God bless.

Answer 2

he should go see a clinic doctor or a proffectional cus this is a very RARE situation amongs 2 year olds.

best of luck to your wishes.

take care...

Answer 3

my kids have night terrors and i found the best way to stop them (sometimes) is to wear them out physically and mentally. i was told by my kids doc. not to wake them up it can send them into shock (that's what the doc. told me) so i just hold them until they either calm down or wake up on their own. i know its scary but it will eventually stop as he gets older it did in my kids.

Answer 4

I havent had this problem but all i can say is make sure you put him to bed nicely at night, maybe read him a nic story depending on how old he is... maybe wait till he is asleep before you leave... have you asked what the night terrors are about? You might find out why he is getting them, if not consult your doctor.

Answer 5

I would definitely recommend seeking the help of a professional.  Its not a serious problem and will eventually phase out of it but talk to a pediatrician to find out what you can do.  Its a 5 minute phone call. dont be lazy

Answer 6

my daughter has these (and has had them for about 3 years), although they are not as severe as your son's sound.  we do not try to wake her up.... it is the worst thing you can do.  we just whisper to her that everything is OK and she can go back to sleep.  usually she does.... she is not awake when this happens.

stress, change and insufficient sleep makes night terrors worse / occur more often.  make sure your son is getting a full 12 hours of sleep at night and a 2 hour nap during the day.  if he is well-rested, you will see an improvement in these.

there is also a method that helps.... if they always happen at a certain time, wake him up 15 minutes before they generally occur.  you can search online for the complete protocol... or ask your pediatrician.

sleep disturbances are fairly common in children and usually occur when they are shifting from one sleep phase to another.

good luck.

Answer 7

my nephew use to do that i would just let him watch a cartoon movie before he went to sleep so he would dream of that it worked and helped him calm down and sleep through the night

Answer 8

"There she is" is the only one on here that has a clue!  She had some great advice.  He most likely will not remember his dream if you allow him to sleep, if you wake him he actually has a better chance of remembering the terrors.  Also, if he does wake up, dont question him about what happened.  It will only remind him of what was so terrifying to begin with, and could have negative reprocussions.   I think singing to him gently, speaking softly that you are there, and rubbing his back will do great at getting him back to a peaceful sleep.    

It is VERY normal as children begin to learn fantasy from reality.  Just let it be, help guide him to a happy place, and it will pass.

Good luck!

Answer 9

I have to say, I had night terrors as a child too. I don't remember them. My mom told me about them. She said I scared her a lot. Also, my niece had them for about 8 months a couple of years ago. What helped my sister is that she traded the kids' rooms. Maybe the way you have the room decorated, or arranged could be contributing to the problem. also, what does your son watch on TV? My niece was having terrors about snakes. My mom told me basically I had to out grow the night terrors that was back in the 70's.  Personally, I think they also have to do with trying to deal with stress that maybe your son could be feeling from you, cause I think that was part of my problem and I think it was part of my niece's problem.

Answer 10

Brace yourself and get a box of tissues - for yourself.

My daughter went through that around 2 years of age, fortunately not every night.

First of all, you're not suppose to wake the child up! (I did most of the time, even though I knew I shouldn't) Children don't remember having night terrors when they sleep through them. I honestly don't think my daughter remembered them in the morning even when I did wake her up.

The only scarred person is you and your husband. I know it breaks your heart. I used to just hold her and make sure she didn't hurt herself and cried. But then it just went away. You can talk to your pediatrician, if that makes you feel better. But maker sure they don't try to drug your son or bring him in for counseling. Not till it interferes with HIS life and sleep.

Good luck to you. I will pray for you and your son.

For all the uninformed - night terrors are NOT night mares and are perfectly normal in toddlers.

Answer 11

i suggest letting him sleep through it..

or waking him up..

he could be having night terrors because of eating before bed so dont let him eat before bed and that usually stops them.

Answer 12

keep a night light near, when he starts having a night mare just hold him, and rock him, tell him it will be okay, and if you absolutly have to wake him up then hold him, rock him, wipe his tears, ect and snuggle with him or sing while putting him back to sleep

Answer 13

Your house has a ghost in it.  Children can see things that we can't and he is being haunted.  Go see a preist or openly speak loudly in his room to the ghost telling it that it is dead and to leave your house.  Look up and go into the light!!

Answer 14

Something that worked for a friend of mine.  Let him watch some "warm-fuzzy" cartoons before he goes to sleep, or else sing and rock him...  She said that she realized whatever the last thing on her child's mind whenever he went to sleep was what triggered his dreams...  If he had something pleasant on his mind whenever he drifted off, he usually didn't have nightmares.  Hope that helps.

Answer 15

I had a problem just like that that started when i was about 3 and i remember it the most when i was 5

i am only 15 now so it's still pretty fresh but i figure how my night terrors started was i saw something that i couldn't explain and i was just a kid so i didn't understand fully i even went to theropy when i was in grade 1

but nothing really helped me get over it

but as time went on i got better

i still have slight simtoms like i still wake up every night and it's really hard to get back to sleep

what has always helped me when i was younf this might be harder with a 2 year old but what was best for me is sleeping with an adult when i had troubles like that it just comferted me

so thats what i would recomend

but mainly as time goes on he will get over it

i hope i was a little help :)

Answer 16

My daughter did that for about 3 months! It's awful and scary! Just talk calmly to him, or hum a nice song to him.  

The doctor said not to hold her or try to calm her down, because it scares her more, and can send her into shock.  Just sit next to him on the bed and sing or quietly talk, when he's done if he wakes up you may hold him or cuddle him, but if he goes back to sleep, just go back to bed like normal.   It's only a phase!  

Stay calm! It'll be over soon!

Also, it's not nightmares, they are completely different from night terrors. He may shake, or scream, or look off somewhere and it is scary, but hes not just having a scary dream.

Wow, you got some crazy answers before me! Don't listen to those weirdo's!

Answer 17

Wow... you had some real idiots answer your question!!! Not all of them are wrong, but geez...

Most people outgrow night terrors... the average ages of experiencing them is 3-8, but I have had them my whole life.  They started when I was too young to remember, and I STILL have them about once or twice a month... I'm 28.  

It is true that usually you don't remember them if you are left sleeping, and having someone wake you up CAN send you into shock.  I have always walked in my sleep, too, and it is no different- don't wake a sleep walking person.  And be thankful- sleep walking only occurs in a small percentage of people who suffer from sleep disorders, so hopefully your son isn't one of them!

As much as you may want to, do not touch your son... unless he is walking towards the stairs or something dangerous, leave him be.  If you need to touch him, try to do so lightly on the shoulder to re-direct him.  There are many "experts" that say yes, it's ok to hug them or gently restrain them during an episode, but I always found this made it worse.  There was more chance of waking- even though waking a person up during a night terror IS near to impossible.  Night terrors happen between stage 3 and 4 of NREM (NON rapid eye movement).  Ironically, stage 4 is when your body does most of its healing and repairs.  Even if your son doesn't remember the episode, he may be cranky the next day or seem like he's tired.

As a child, my parents used to put the radio on in another part of the house- an easy listening station with the volume quite low.  As I was moving about, many times the gradual introduction of the voices would wake me without sending me into shock, but I remembered the terrors more vividly and was scared sh*tless.

Try to leave a central light on, or have a nightlight in every room.  Waking in the darkness after a night terror  is soooo scary!  I still leave lights on- not for my 4 year old, but for me!

Before bed, try to do something calming and NOT stimulating.  Baths are stimulating for a child, so as another poster said, do it in the morning.  Try laying with your son at bed time, and sing quietly to him while you rub his hair or his hand.  Give him some milk before bed (this isn't a wives' tale!), or if your son is anything like my daughter, try some warm tea.  Try putting a classical cd on in his room, but make sure it is on repeat.  Sometimes the background noise is enough to wake or soothe a child before they hit the night terror stage.  Usually, night terrors happen within the first 3 hours of sleep.  If you can wake your child a few minutes before you think an episode is coming on, do so.  Usually, a week of this will keep the night terrors at bay for a good long while.

Contrary to what another poster said, don't- DO NOT- let your child be completely exhausted when you put them to bed.  I can tell you from experience that this is a HUGE trigger!  Being emotionally, mentally, or physically worn out will almost guarantee a night terror!  Fatigue and trauma are the 2 main causes... and for a child, trauma could even be something like losing a favorite toy, anxiety over using the potty, or seeing something on TV that they shouldn't have.

The best advice I can give you is to let it run its course.  I know it is hard to watch, but your son *should* outgrow it.  If he happens to wake up in the middle of one, just make sure he gets plenty of hugs and cuddles.  Also, even if it's cold out and 3 in the morning, take him out to your porch for a few minutes for fresh air and a snack... an environment different from what he was in will be the most helpful.  With night terrors, sometimes the eyes are open and the brain incorporates those images, making full conciousness a scary place to be!

When returning to bed, turn the pillow over- and tell him that it will make the "nightmares" uncomfortable and they will run away.  Don't ask your son questions about it, or even ask if he wants to talk about it.  He may only have vague memories or images, and if he goes back to sleep without another incident, he may not remember them at all.  And if he does still remember the images, saying it outloud makes it more real and more frightening.

As he gets older, he may be like me... I have videotaped several of my episodes (set the camera in the corner), and ask to be woken up.  As I've gotten older, I became aware of the imagery and the fear WHILE having the night terror... it's worse to be stuck in it.  But at his age, don't wake him.  

There are medications for adults who suffer night terrors, but psychotherapy is used first.  You may need to talk to your doctor about it.  Start keeping a journal about when he has episodes... what time they start, any suspected triggers durring the day, what happens if he wakes, etc.  If it is really bad and is happening more than once a week, your son may need some type of treatment.  Don't worry about medicating your son, either, as any good doctor won't prescribe the "anti terror" drugs to kids.  

Good luck, and I wish you and your son all the best! :)

Answer 18

Is he on any medications? Any at all, you never know. If he is I would evaluate these first to see if the night terrors are a side effect.

Have him tested for allergies also.

Those are the first things that came to mind, but, I am not a doctor, so, talk to a pediatrician and see what they come up with also.

Hope he gets better soon:)

Answer 19

make him watch barnie before bed, it should help, or make it worse, never mind........

Answer 20

You could make a remede.... one that i know of is to put some hot Závila around his head but with a towel of some sort and make him drink tea.

Answer 21

Understand night terrors are not the same thing as nightmares. Toddlers who wake in the middle of the night crying but consolable are having nightmares. Night terrors are periods of hysterical crying, screaming and non-responsiveness. The child will eventually calm down but not remember the event at all.

See that your child is safe. Be sure he can't hurt himself or someone else. Keep toys away from the bed and make sure there are locks on doors and windows in case he moves around.

Prepare yourself to handle a night terror by knowing there is nothing you can do to stop it or help your child calm him. A child who has a night terror is in a very deep sleep pattern, unlike a child who has a nightmare during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

Watch or listen to your child to make sure they are safe, but do not try to talk to them or hold them down. Talking or restraining a child often times makes the child more aggravated. Know that most night terrors will only last a matter of minutes, although some children do continue for longer.

Wake your child up 15 minutes before he would normally begin the night terror. Usually children will have night terrors during the first half of the night. Keep track of when your child starts becoming agitated, and wake him up for a few minutes before the night terror starts. Do this for several nights to see if it helps.

Try giving your child his bath in the morning instead of before bedtime. Sometimes a bath can be an unwanted added stimulus for a child with night terrors. Keep your child as calm and relaxed as possible before bedtime.

Avoid putting an overtired toddler to bed. Night terrors are sometimes caused by a child who is exhausted. Try to get your toddler to take a nap during the day, and make sure he gets to sleep early enough in the evening.



Try soothing your child with a calming lotion or stroking his hair as he falls to sleep.



Reduce as much stimulus in the child's life as possible.



If your child has more than one episode a night for several nights or experiences night terrors on a regular basis for a month you should contact your pediatrician.

Hope this helps!

Answer 22

go to a doctor  tell them you suituation

being on here is not going to help you and your son